THE MARCH OF DE SOTO was compiled in 1865 by J.C. Brevoort and included in Buckingham Smith's translation of the Ranjel narrative. Because of Smith's influence, the route was accepted without question for many years. Brevoort places Soto's landing on the south shore of Tampa Bay and starts the march northeast. (The Bradford Club, N.Y., N.Y.)
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At the site of the present Quarantine Station the vessels could have run close inshore without touching bottom. Evidently much of their way was shoal and this does not suggest the main channel.

We shall have to assume, to bear out the Pinellas theory, that they had passed to the north edge of the channel and were working up over the shoals southeast of Point Pinellas.

It is possible that the bar at Pt. Pinellas Light might have offered enough of an obstacle to De Soto's ships to compel them to come to anchor there, but it is rather doubtful. In one place there are 12 to 13 feet over this bar at mean low tide. At high tide there might have been two feet more, while just inside the water deepens rapidly. In any case, it seems unlikely that De Soto's pilot would have failed to discover the

main Tampa channel and learn that he could bring his vessels abreast of the site of St. Petersburg or even to Port Tampa.

One of the strongest arguments adduced by adherents of the Pinellas theory is that Narvaez indubitably did land upon the west coast of this peninsula. If we may believe Elvas, supported by Garcilaso, Chief Ocita of the town which De Soto later occupied, also was chief of that from which Narvaez set out inland. But it is not certain that this identification may be relied upon.

Chronicles of the Narvaez expedition fail to give us the name of the town where he landed. The relations between him and the Indians were such that one is puzzled to locate the time and occasion on which Narvaez inflicted those dastardly outrages for which, be it noted, Garcilaso is our sole authority.